Ball joint assembly



May 26, 1970 5. E. DAVIES ETAL 3,514,138

BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l F'Zq/ {a Wi /Z1Atria r'ncigs May 26, 1970 ca. E. DAVIES ETTAL 3,5

BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS'.6:59am 5. 0a was,

0hr! M Weston,

Gina L. 69.9 r/h/ Attorneys.

May 26, 1970 G. E. DAVIES ETAL BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Aug. 16. 1965 I INVENTORS. G/Xber'tE 0a V1293, BY WZFSJ'O,

60704.663 ar' 1', 2M A44 flttarneys.

G. E. DAVIES ETAL BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY May 26, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Aug. 16. 1965 May 26, 1970 Filed Aug. 16, 1965 G. E. DAVIES ETALBALL JOINT ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HHIIIHI Hum United States Patent3,514,138 BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY Gilbert E. Davies, John M. Weston, andGino L. Gasparini, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignors, by mesne assignments, toTuthill Pump Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 16, 1965,Ser. No. 479,860 Int. Cl. F16c 11/06 US. Cl. 287-90 6 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a ball joint assemblywherein the socket element comprises a cylindrical body provided with aflat side having a socket bore therein which bore has an open endintersecting the flat side and part of the cylindrical body portion.Opposite sides of the socket opening along the axis of the cylinder areprovided with coined indentations so as to deform metal of the bore wallinwardly against a ball stud located in the socket bore.

The present invention relates to a ball joint assembly.

In Davies application Pat. No. 3,253,845 issued May 31, 1966, there isdisclosed a ball joint assembly composed of two parts, namely, a bodymember containing a socket and a ball stud having a ball on one endthereof which is received for swiveling movement by the socket. The bodymember is primarily cylindrical and the socket is formed concentric withthe radius of the body. The ball is retained in the socket by stakingopposite sides of the body adjacent to the socket for displacing metalinwardly around the ball. By reason of the geometries involved, and theparticular construction, the angle of swiveling movement or tilt of theball stud in the socket, the strength of the assembly, and the wear-lifethereof are all determined.

The present invention constitutes a decided improvement over thearrangements disclosed or claimed in the aforesaid application in therespects of improving wearlife, improving strength, reducingmanufacturing costs, increasing the angle of swiveling movement of theball stud and the like.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved balljoint assembly of increased strength as compared with prior assembliesof comparable size.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved balljoint assembly wherein the ball stud has a greater angle of swivelingmovement for a given size and shape of ball stud and body.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention andthe manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the inventionitself will be best understood by reference to the following descriptionof an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical ball stud of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a body member having a socket drilled therein, thismember representing one of the steps of the method in fabricating theball joint assembly;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the body member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on section line 4--4 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the sectionline 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing another step in the method of fabricatingthe ball joint assembly of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view of a finished ball joint assembly ofthis invention;

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FIG. 8 is a fragmentary and sectioned view taken substantially along thesection line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view, also fragmentary, enlarged forclarity of illustration, of the ball joint arrangement of the precedingFIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially alongsection line 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side view of an embodiment of the apparatus of thisinvention;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an end view thereof with a ball joint assembly in positionthereon;

FIG. 14 is an end view of only a single die piece with a ball stud inposition for receiving a socket member;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view takensubstantially along section line 15-15 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of the two die pieces with a ballstud mounted therebetween, the latter being sectioned through the neckthereof at right angles to the axis; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective illustration of the finished ball and socketassembly.

Referring to FIG. 1, a ball stud, indicated generally by the referencenumeral 20, is provided on one end thereof with a generally sphericalball 22, and a reduced diameter neck 24 having a circular neck line orterminal neck portion 26 which joins the ball 22. A nut portion 28 isjoined to the neck portion 24, and a shank 30 extends axially from theneck and nut portions 24 and 28, respectively. The ball stud 20 is anintegral construction preferably formed of steel with the ball 22 beinghardened. The axis 32 of the shank 30 is coincident with an extension ofa diameter 34 of the ball 22 as shown.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated the body member, indicated by the referencenumeral 36, of the ball joint assembly, which is part cylindrical inshape and is formed of non-hardened metal, such as steel, brass,aluminum and the like. The material of this body member 20 isdeliberately chosen to be softer than the hardened ball 22. Thecylindrical part of this member 36 is coaxial about an axis 38 while theside 40 thereof is fiat and parallel to the axis 38. In one embodimentof this invention, the width dimension of this flat side 40 is betweenthat of a radius and a diameter of the cylindrical portion of the bodymember 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the flat side 40 appears to be a chord ofa circle defined by the cross-section of the body 36.

In the right-hand end of the body 36 is a cavity or socket 42 ofgenerally cylindrical shape but having -a gradually tapered bottom 44(see FIG. 5). The axis 46 of the cavity 42, in the preferred embodimentof this invention, is normal to the axis 38 of the body 36. The cavity42 preferably is formed by a simple drilling operation, the point of thedrill, which usually is tapered, forming the bottom 44.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom portion 44 is formedin two tapered sections, one sec tion indicated by the numeral 48 havinga taper (FIG. 5) and the tip section 50 having a taper. Both of thesetapered sections 48 and 50 are concentric with the cavity axis 46.

The diameter of the cavity 42 is made slightly larger than the width ofthe fiat side 40 of the body 36 as shown more clearly in FIG. 2. Also,this diameter is made just slightly larger than the largest diameter ofthe ball 22. The cavity 42 is, therefore, of such size that the ball 22may be received therein for pivotal movement without looseness.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate the ball 22 as being received by thebody member 36, FIGS. 8 and 9 showing the cavity 42 deformed inwardlyslightly to provide a part-spherical socket identified by the numeral 52which substantially conforms to the shape of the upper portion of theball 22. The method of deforming the cavity 42 so as to provide thecontour just described will be explained more fully hereinafter. Asshown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a slight clearance is provided between the wallof the socket 42, 52 and the ball 22 such that the latter may freelyswivel therein.

The method of forming the part-spherical socket 52 will now beexplained. In essence, metal is deformed from diametrically oppositeportions of the body 36 adjacent to the cavity 42 so as to overlieportions of the upper surface of the ball 22 to prevent the latter frombeing withdrawn from the socket 52.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the cavity axis 46 is not onlyperpendicular to the body axis 38 but also to the plane of the flat side40. With the cavity 42 formed as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, and theball stud formed as already explained in connection with FIG. 1, the twoparts are assembled as shown in FIG. 6. The ball 22 is inserted into thecavity 42 and the stud 20 is held in such position that the axis 32thereof is coextensive with the cavity axis 46, such that the axis 32 isperpendicular to both the fiat side 40 and the body axis 36.

With the body 36 and the ball stud 20 so held in position, diametricallyopposite portions, indicated by the numerals 54 and 56, are coined so asto provide indentations 58 and 60, respectively. These indentations 58and 60 are spaced apart in a direction axially of the body 36 such thatthe metal displaced by making the indentations 58 and 60 will be forcedinwardly against the ball 22 as a backing thereby forming thepart-spherical socket portions 53 (FIG. 9). Just enough coining force isused in making the arcuate indentations 58 and 60 that the ball 22 willnot be frictionally bound in place and otherwise just the proper amountof clearance is provided for the ball 22 to swivel properly within thesocket 42, 52.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 8, the arcuate extents of the twoindentations 58 and 60 are longer than the width of the flat portion 40so that the opposite end portions of the indentations enter into therounded surface portions of body 36. Thus, it will appear that theindentations 58 and 60 are quite long in comparison to the width of theside 40 and thereby provide a substantial arcuate length of displacedmaterial which forms the socket portion 52 and retains the ball 22within the socket.

The coining operation, as previously explained, is performed on the fiatside 40 at locations which are immediately adjacent to the perimeter ofthe socket 42 such that coining radially inwardly toward the axis 38 ofthe body will result in the metal being displaced radially inwardlyagainst the ball 22 as a backing.

The ball and socket diameters as well as the dimensions of the body 36are so selected that the center 62 of the ball 22 is positioned asclosely as possible to the axis 38 when the ball 22 is seated onto thetapered bottom section 48 of the socket (FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 9 andillustrate this positioning in enlarged and exaggerated form to show theproximity of the ball center to the body axis. It may be stated at thispoint that by providing the flat side 40 of the body 36, the ball center62 may be made to approach the body axis 38 more closely, for a givensize of body 36, than any previous design has permitted. As will beexplained later, this greatly increases the wear-life and tensilestrength of the assembly, as well as tilt angle of the ball stud, all ofthese features being obtained in an arrangement which is no moreexpensive nor complicated than prior arrangements and, as a matter offact, is less costly.

As shown in FIG. 8, the relationships between the radii and centers ofcurvature of the cavity 42 and the indentations 58 and 60 are indicatedby the particular radii 64, 66 and 68. The two radii 66 and 68 indicatethe curvatures of the midlines of the indentations 58 and 60 while theradius 64 indicates the curvature of the cavity 42. The centers of thetwo radii 66 and 68 are offset to opposite sides of the socket axis 46in a direction axially of the body 36 as shown. While this geometricillustration indicates one design of this invention, it should beunderstood that this geometry may be varied slightly without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention. The variations will becomeapparent from the explanations that follow.

The coining operations described in the foregoing are preferablyperformed by the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 16. Thisapparatus comprises a base plate 70 having a first pair of lugs 72secured to and upstanding from the left-hand end of the plate 70 asshown, and a second pair 74 secured to and upstanding from theright-hand end thereof. Two elongated punch members 76 and 78 arehingedly secured to the lugs 72 and 74 as shown for swinging movementinwardly to ward each other from the full-line positions of FIG. 11 tothe open, dashed-line positions 76a and 78a as shown. In this closedposition, the punch members or blocks 76, 78 are substantiallyhorizontal and in alignment with the ends thereof contiguous. Theindividual blocks 76 and 78 are substantially rectangular and preferablyare made of steel. The facing ends thereof are inclined as indicated bythe numerals 80 and 82 and in these ends are formed two semi-cylindricalrecesses 84 and 86 which are coaxial about a common vertical axis 85when the blocks are in the full-line position 76, 78. The upper portionsof these recesses 84 and 86 are provided with inwardly angled shoulders88 from which extend upwardly the smaller radiused portions 90 which arealso coaxial about the axis 85.

Immediately above the curved portions 90 and constituting upwardextensions thereof are punch edges 92 and 94 of semi-circular shape.These punch edges are concentric about the axis 85 and together form asubstantially complete circle. The inner surfaces of these punch edges92 and 94 are coextensive with the cylindrical portions 90. This is moreclearly illustrated in FIG. 16 which shows the upper sides of the twomembers 76, 78 in the down or closed position (see FIGS. 11, 12 and 16).

Secured to the upper side of the punch member 78 is a matrix block 96having an elongated nest 97 defined by two spaced parallel sides 98. Theaxis of this nest 97 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of thebase plate 70 and preferably is horizontal. A bolt 101 passing throughboth the block 96 and punch 78 secures the two together. Also, this axislies in an upright plane, preferabiy, which includes the axis 85. Thecontiguous edges 99 of the punch blocks 76 and 78 when in the full lineposition of FIG. 11 extend parallel to this vertical plane.

A cylindrically shaped backing block 100 is snugly fitted into a socket102 in the base plate 70 as shown, and is secured to the latter by meansof a bolt 103. An upright cylindrical bore 104 in the block 100 iscoaxial with respect to axis 85, and receives a helical compressionspring 105. A centering sleeve 107 is telescopically fitted into thebore 104 and rests on top of the spring 105. The internal diameter ofthe sleeve 107 is selected to provide a sliding but close tolerance fitfor receiving the shank 30. The semi-circular parts 84 and 86 are sizedsuch as to fit intimately without binding the sleeve 107 and the nutportion 28 of the stud 20. The height of the block 100 is such that thepunch members 76 and 78 are fully closed as shown and rest on the fiattop of the block 100 as shown in FIG. 15.

As shown in FIGS. 11 through 16, all of the parts are so shaped andsized that the ball stud 20 of FIG. 1 may be inserted into the sleeve107 with the nut portion 28 resting on top of the sleeve. The spring 105and the sleeve 107, as well as the thicknesses of the punch members '76,78, are so dimensioned that the stud 20 will assume the position shownin FIG. 15 with the coining edges 90 and 92 being slightly elevatedabove the stud neckline 26. Also, as is clearly shown in FIG. 15, thepunch members 76, 78 solidly rest on the backing block 100 which in turnalso solidly rests on the base plate 70. The significance of this solidmounting will become apparent from the description that follows.

For swinging the punch blocks 76 and 78 upwardly about their axes, twoplungers 110 and 112 which are reciprocally received by the base plate70 are used, the upper ends of these plungers 110, 112 engaging theundersides of the respective blocks 76, 78 for elevating the latter.

Reference may be had to FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 15 for explaining theoperation of the apparatus which has just been described. Referring toFIG. 11, the punch members 76 and 78 are first swung to their openpositions corresponding to the dashed line position 76a. The dashed lineshape 78a for the punch block 78 is illustrative of a partially openedposition. A ball stud is inserted into the sleeve 107 (FIGS. 14 and 15)until the nut portion 28 rests on the top edge of the sleeve 107. Thepunch blocks 76 and 78 are swung to their downward or closed positionsas shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 15, the semicircular recesses 84 and 86 nowsurrounding the sleeve 107. The ball 34 projects above the punch members76, 78 to the position shown in FIG. 14.

A body member 36 is now mounted on the ball 34 by fitting the socket 42thereover and resting the body 36 in the nest portion 97 between the twosides 98 as shown more clearly in FIGS. 12, 13 and 15. The relationshipbetween the nest portion 97 and the ball 34 is such that the body member36 will be substantially horizontally aligned with the flat surfacethereof resting on the punch edges 92 and 94.

A ram 114 having a suitable, semi-circular cavity 116 is next positionedimmediately above the body member 36 in vertical alignment with the ball34. The cavity 116 is also aligned with the cylindrical shape of thebody member 36. 60 positioned, the ram 114 is brought downwardly againstthe upper side of the body 36 to force the punch edges 92 and 94 againstthe flat surface 40. The punch edges 92 and 94 are preferably coplanarand substantially horizontal such that as the ram 114 forces the body 36downwardly, the side 40 will flatten against these punch edges 92 and94. Thus, the punch edges 92 and 94 are instrumental in locatingproperly the body member 36 just prior to the coining operation.

At this point, it should be explained that the height of the spring 105(FIG. 15 is such that the circumferential flange 118 on the bottom endof the sleeve 107 is normally engaged with the annular shoulder 119 onthe backing block when the ram 114 is retracted and spaced verticallyfrom the body 36. Further, the length of the sleeve 107 is such that theball 22 will be spaced higher, with respect to the punch blocks 76 and78, than shown in t FIG. 15. Explained differently, the flat surface 40of body 36, when the latter is fitted over the ball 22 (FIG. 15 will bespaced normally a short distance (0.010, e.g.) above the punch edges 92,94 by reason of the ball 22 being held upwardly by sleeve 107 and spring105. Thus, first engagement of ram 114 with body 36 will result inmovement of body 36 into contact with punch edges 92, 94: Spring 105will be correspondingly compressed and flange 118 will be slightlyseparated from annular shoulder 119. This spring compression resultsfrom the stud 20 being moved downwardly against the sleeve 107 by thebody 36. This action is important, because the ram force can neverbottom against reaction from the stud 20 but only against the body 36engaging the solid backing of the punch edges 92, 94.

After the initial engagement of the ram 114 with the body 36, furtherdownward movement of the ram 114 will result in moving the punch blocks76 and 78- downwardly until they flatten against the backing block 100.

As just stated, this results in depressing the stud 20 and compressingto a certain extent the spring 105, because the sleeve 107 is forceddownwardly by the nut portion 28 of the ball stud and this sleeve 107 isin engagement with the upper end of the spring 105.

Further downward movement of the ram 114 causes the punch edges 92 and94 to produce the indentations 58 and 60 (FIGS. 7, 8 and 9) previouslydescribed. These punch edges 92 and 94 produce the indentations 58 and60 and coin the body metal inwardly against the ball 22 as a backingthereby completing the formation of the socket.

The ram 114 is retracted upwardly and the sleeve 107 is moved upwardlyunder the force of the spring 105. If the punch edges 92 and 94 shouldbe stuck into the indentations formed into the body 36, the springbreaks them apart. A slight clearance is provided between the flange 118on the sleeve 107 and the shoulder 119 on the block 100 so that slightrelative movement may be imparted to the body 36 with respect to thepunch blocks 76 and 78.

Complete separation of the ram 114 from the body 36 permits the upwardswinging of both punch blocks 76 and 78 and the removal of the assembledball stud and body member from the sleeve 107.

In order to perform another operation, the procedure explainedhereinabove is merely repeated.

With all the parts properly dimensioned as previously explained, theneck line 26, which is circular, defines a plane which is parallel andcontiguous to but slightly above the flat side 40 when the stud axis ispositioned coincident with the cavity axis 46. This being true, the ballstud may be swiveled in the socket 42, 52 to the dashed line positions128 in FIG. 9 and 130 in FIG. 10, the flat surface 40 permitting thisrelatively large tilting angle. Thus, with the ball center 62 beingpositioned immediately adjacent to the body axis 38, the flat side 40 incooperation with the other structural features described in theforegoing permit maximum tilting angles of the stud for given dimensionsthereof. Also, maximum strength is provided in the joint assembly bypositioning the ball center 62 as closely as possible to the body axis38, and this may be explained as follows.

If it is assumed that the ball stud is positioned with its axiscoincident with the cavity axis 46, and a force F applied as shown inFIG. 9 to the ball stud, a moment arm equal to the separation betweenthe ball center 62 and the body axis 38 cooperates with this force inattempting to bend the body 36 about a point indicated by the numeral132. The shorter this moment arm, the smaller is the bending moment atthe point 132. Tests have actually proven that this design with the flatside 40 which permits deeper penetration of the ball 22 into the bodymember reduces this bending moment to such an extent that the strengthof the joint assembly is vastly increased. The required tilting anglesof the ball stud are increased also such that the desired functionalattributes of the ball and socket are retained while an increase instrength thereof is achieved, all without adding to the sizes of theparts and strengths of the material used.

Since the indentations 58 and 60 coined into the flat side 40 are quitelong, relatively speaking, the amount of metal which is coined inwardlyagainst the ball 22 is correspondingly great. This adds to the strengthof the assembly which resists withdrawal of the ball 22 from the socketas well as the wear-life of the socket inasmuch as there is morematerial in engagement with the ball which is available for wear.

It should be noted that the coining indentations 58 and 60 are formed onopposite sides of the cavity 42 spaced in the direction extendingparallel to the body axis 38. Thus, the deformation of the socket metalis limited to the arcuate length of the indentations 58 and 60transversely of the body 36. The opposite sides of the socket 42, 52transversely of the body 36 are therefore not shaped or deformed by thecoining operation, but instead retain original shapes as segments of acylinder, the shape of this cylinder being that of the original cavity42 as illustrated and described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3.

In a typical design for a ball 22 of about .615 inch in diameter, thesocket 42 is given a diameter of about .620 inch. In this instance, thediameter of the body is .749 inch with the minimum thickness of the bodybeing about .683 inch. In an operating embodiment of this invention, thecavity axis 46 is positioned about .562 inch from the right-hand end ofthe body 36 as viewed in FIG. 4. Referring again to the dimensions ofthe ball stud of FIG. 1, the neck 26 has a diameter of about .375 inch.The depth of the cylindrical portion of the socket 42 as shown in FIGS.4 and 5 coincides with a plane passing through the body which includesthe axis 38 and is parallel to the fiat side 40.

Obviously, these dimensions may be varied to suit design requirementswithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. As will.now be appreciated, the fabrication of the ball joint assembly of thisinvention is materially simplified, among the reasons for this being thefact that in using the apparatus of FIGS. 11 through 16, proper locationof both the body and stud are automatic in the process of performing thecoining operation. With respect to the ball joint assembly itself, ithas greater strength for withstanding shear and bending forces than anyprior design, this increased strength being achieved without reducingthe swivel angle of the stud or the wear-life of the joint.

Preferably, the transverse dimension of the body 36 taken between thefiat surface 40 and the diametrically opposite portion of the body 36 ismade equal to a standard wrench size so that the body can be heldagainst rotation while a member is threaded into the threaded bore ofthe body 36 as shown in FIG. 4.

In the event it is desired to perform the aforedescribed coiningoperation against a ball 34 which is not hardened 0r harder than body36, the ram 114 may be modified by providing depending flanges 134 shownin dashed lines in FIGS. 11 and 13. These flanges 134 are spaced apart adistance suificient to straddle body 36 and the punch edges 92, 94 andare long enough to engage and bottom on the punch blocks 76, 78 when thecoining indentations 58 and 60 have formed to the proper, predetermineddepth. Thus, the metal of body 36 may be formed around the ball 22without indenting the latter. The purpose of the flanges 134 is to limitthe depth of the coining operation so as to prevent deforming forcesfrom being applied to ball 22.

While there have been described above the principles of this inventionin connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understoodthat this description is made only by way of example and not as alimitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A ball joint assembly comprising a solid metallic body ofpart-cylindrical shape, said body having an axis coaxial with respect tothe cylindrical portion thereof, said body having a flat side which liesin a plane parallel to said axis, the width dimension of said side lyingbetween the lengths of a radius and a diameter of said cylindricalportion, a generally cylindrical socket in said body which opens throughsaid fiat side, said socket having a diameter greater than the width ofsaid fiat side so that it also opens through a region of saidcylindrical portions, said socket having an axis normal to the plane ofsaid fiat side and to said body axis, the bottom of said socket beinggenerally tapered to a point in two conical sections, the bottom sectionbeing of larger angle than the upper section, said bottom section beingof a cross-sectional angle of approximately 135, the upper section beingof a crosssectional angle of approximately 90, a ball stud having agenerally spherical hardened metal ball on one end and a shank portionon the other end, said stud having a neck and nut portion between theaforesaid ends, said neck being joined to said ball and to said nutportion, said neck being of smaller diameter than said ball at thejoinder therebetween, said socket receiving said ball, the diameter ofsaid ball being substantially equal to but smaller than the diameter ofsaid socket, the center of said ball being disposed adjacent to the axisof said body but spaced therefrom in a direction toward said flat side,said body having portions extending radially inwardly of said socket,said body portions being disposed at the open end of said socket andhaving an arcuate extent longer than the width of said flat side, saidbody portions being on opposite sides of said ball in a directionaxially of said body, said socket having opposed cylindrical sectionstransversely of said body and opposed generally spherical sectionsaxially of said body, said body portions forming part of said sphericalsections, a diameter extending between said cylindrical sections beingsubstantially equal to but larger than a diameter of said ball, adiametral line in the plane of said flat side extending between saidopposed spherical sections being smaller than said ball diameter,whereby said ball is retained in said socket, said ball engaging theaforesaid upper tapered section as a bearing, said neck defining a planeWhere it joins said ball which is contiguous to the plane of said flatside when said stud axis is coincident with said socket axis, wherebysaid ball may be universally swiveled in said socket.

2. The ball joint assembly of claim 1 wherein said fiat side has twoarcuate depressions therein on opposite sides of said socket axially ofsaid body, said depressions being contiguous and substantially parallelto the perimeter of said socket, the body portions between said socketand said depressions being at a level closer to said body axis than saidfiat side, thereby accommodating a corresponding angular tilt of saidball stud in a direction parallel to said body axis.

3. A ball joint assembly comprising a solid metallic body ofpart-cylindrical shape, said body having an axis coaxial with respect tothe cylindrical portion thereof, said body having a flat side which liesin a plane parallel to said axis, a generally cylindrical socket in saidbody which opens through said flat side, said socket having a diametergreater than the Width of said flat side so that it also opens through aregion of said cylindrical portions, said socket having an axis normalto the plane of said flat side and to said body axis, the bottom of saidsocket being generally tapered, a ball stud having a generally sphericalhardened metal ball on one end and a shank portion on the other end,said stud having a neck and nut portion between the aforesaid ends, saidneck being joined to said ball and to said nut portion, said neck beingof smaller diameter than said ball at the joinder therebetween, saidsocket receiving said ball, the diameter of said ball beingsubstantially equal to but smaller than the diameter of said socket, thecenter of said ball being disposed adjacent to the axis of said body butspaced therefrom in a direction toward said flat side, said body havingportions extending radially inwardly of said socket, said body portionsbeing disposed at the open end of said socket and having an arcuateextent longer than the width of said flat side, said body portions beingon opposite sides of said ball in a direction axially of said body, saidsocket having opposed cylindrical sections transversely of said body andopposed generally spherical sections axially of said body, said bodyportions forming part of said spherical sections, a diameter extendingbetween said cylindrical sections being substantially equal to butlarger than a diameter of said ball, a diametral line extending betweensaid opposed spherical sections parallel to said body axis and in theplane of said flat side being smaller than said ball diameter, wherebysaid ball is retained in said socket, said ball engaging the aforesaidtapered section as a bearing, said neck defining a plane where it joinssaid ball which is contiguous to the plane of said flat side when saidstud axis is coincident with said socket axis, whereby said ball may beuniversally swiveled in said socket.

4. A ball joint assembly comprising a solid metallic body ofpart-cylindrical shape, said body having an axis coaxial with respect tothe cylindrical portion thereof, said body having a flat side, agenerally cylindrical socket in said body which opens through said flatside, said socket having an axis transverse to the plane of said flatside, a ball stud having a generally spherical metal ball on one end anda shank portion on the other end, said stud having a neck between theaforesaid ends, said neck being joined to said ball, said neck being ofsmaller diameter than said ball at the joinder therebetween, said socketreceiving said ball, the diameter of said ball being substantially equalto but smaller than the diameter of said socket, the center of said ballbeing disposed adjacent to the axis of said body, said body havingportions extending radially inwardly of said socket, said body portionsbeing disposed at the open end of said socket and having an arcuateextent longer than the width of said flat side, said body portions beingon opposite sides of said ball in a direction axially of said body, saidsocket having opposed cylindrical sections spaced transversely of saidbody and opposed generally spherical sections spaced axially of saidbody, said body portions forming part of said spherical sections, adiameter extending between said cylindrical sections being substantiallyequal to but larger than a diameter of said ball, a diametral lineextending between said opposed spherical sections parallel to said bodyaxis being shorter than said ball diameter, whereby said ball isretained in said socket.

5. A ball joint assembly comprising an elongated body having alongitudinal axis, a flat side on said body, a socket in said bodyhaving a top which opens through said side, a ball stud having a ballpivotally received by said socket, said socket on opposite sides thereofin a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body beingshaped to conform substantially to the contour of said ball whereby saidball is retained in said socket, the wall portions of said socket onopposite sides of said axis being part cylindrical in shape, said ballhaving a clearance with said socket whereby it may swivel therein, saidsocket opening through said flat side as well as a portion of thecylindrical surface, and said ball having a neck portion defining aplane where it joins said ball which is immediately adjacent to theplane of said fiat side when said stud is centered in said socket.

6. A ball joint assembly comprising an elongated body having alongitudinal axis, a fiat side on said body, a socket in said bodyhaving a month which opens through said side, a ball stud having a ballpivotally received by said socket, said socket on opposite sides thereofin a direction along the longitudinal axis of said body being shaped toconform substantially to the contour of said ball whereby said ball isretained in said socket, the wall portions of said socket on oppositesides of said axis being part cylindrical in shape, said first-mentionedopposite sides including portions of said body which define oppositeportions of the mouth of said socket spaced apart a distance shorterthan the diameter of said ball, said mouth portions being disposedentirely beneath the plane of said flat side, said ball having aclearance with said socket whereby it may swivel therein, and said ballstud having a terminal neck portion lying in a plane where it joins saidball which plane is substantially coextensive with the plane of saidflat side when said stud is centered in said socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,500 2/1897 Strauss 30820l3,253,845 5/1966 Davies. 3,288,501 11/1966 Ross et al.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner A. V. KUNDRAT, AssistantExaminer

